That Summer
by KyaNightingale
Summary: Quinn heads home years after the loss of her family at the age of five, with her adoptive family. She's determined to find the little girl that caused her tragedy all those years ago to become something filled with a moments worth of happiness...
1. Introduction

**So here it goes, my computer decided to completely erase every document off of my hard drive during an update. I kept all of my stories, fanfic and original, on it and my ideas for each chapter. Now, they're gone and I had two chapter updates for my two fics already established, fallen angel and alice out of wonderland. So since I basically have to rewrite all out my chapter plots and remember word for word my chapter updates. I decided to take a little break from those two and start backing up my fics and original stories. So I'm sorry and I hope this new fic will tie you guys over until I can fix everything. So enjoy.**

**Ps- I cried for an hour when I could recover my work, so don't hate me too much.**

**Summary: I don't have a summary for this one as of yet. But please read and comment. I would appreciate how I'm doing.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, so please don't sue me.**

**That Summer:**

**Introduction**

I live in Hell, but others know it as Palm Lake, California; a pretentious town filled with over privileged, egotistical individuals or those who choose to wear a mask of denial. They are the people who play little rolls in the world surrounding them: Stepford wives, cheating husbands, and substance abusing adolescences. I've been forced to reside in this hellhole for twelve years; twelve years away from happier memories and love, where I have to call the two individuals I resent most mom and dad. They have no interest in knowing who I am, but shape me to who they want me to be. The only silver lining I can find in this situation is that they don't parade me around like a show dog and give into my whims and needs, just as long as I do not embarrass them and I have practical reasons for what I want (ha, practical for them is when you catch another person wearing the same attire as you at a party and demand an entire new wardrobe. Anything fibrous and shallow as that is practical and reason enough.). So when they heard about the neighbor's daughter getting knocked up at fifteen and sending her away to live with the grandparents until the said bastard child is birth and put up for adoption, they lavished me with every piece of superficial material a teenage girl could ever want; however, I traded those things in for something more meaningful. So here were are, on a flight to small town Georgia, a place I love to call home.


	2. Home

**So here's chapter one, I hope you enjoy. Please comment and review.**

**Summary: Quinn heads home years after the loss of her family at the age of five, with her adoptive family. She's determined to find the little girl that caused her to her tragedy all those years ago to become something filled with a moments worth of happiness and friendship.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, but my errors.**

**Ps - The italics are the past and regular text the present and Quinn just speaking. Also, for Georgia and most of the souther story or stories, basically mean soaps or soap operas. Just a southern thing. Oh and how i depicted social services is quite dead on for georgia.**

**Chapter 1**

**That Summer:**

**Home**

This would be the first time in years that I will visit my hometown; an idyllic southern urban on the seaside called Honeysuckle, Georgia. The town got its name from the vast amount of honeysuckles that would bloom in spring and stay until the bitter caress of winter. I remember picking buckets full of the tiny, fragrant flower and devouring its sweet nectar with other neighborhood kids, then being chastised for arriving just after the street lights lit the way home; who could have thought my last time there was when I was five, twelve years ago. It seems like the longest time, even more so when my happy childhood ended then and there.

For the first half of my summer, it was filled with loneliness, heartache, devastation, and fear. My life was forever changed by tragedy and no one allowed me to forget; constantly fingering me out, talking in hushed tones as if my name and family's pain wasn't being rolled off their gossiping tongues. Everyone did this, except for one. She instantly became my ray of sunshine with just her 1000 megawatt smile. That little brunette made that summer bitter sweet than the hell it was intended. She was my Rachel and I was her Luce.

When we met, it was on the 4th of July. I had only been orphaned for less than a month, before being dragged through hell and back; I was ripped away from the only living relative I had, my grandmother. She had gotten sick and moved in with my parents and I. So when they died, I didn't worry about what was gonna happen or what would happen next, because I had grandma and that was still love. But I was wrong, social services took me away, forcing both of us into homes we didn't want to be. They said I was too young and too my much a hand full for someone so old and sick; that she would most likely die trying to support me, so why hold off the inevitable? I never knew people could be so callous. So they made us pack separately, not wanting either of us to cause a scene and make it more difficult than it had to be, but that didn't stop us; before they could drag me through the front door of the only home I ever knew, my grandmother grabbed me and pulled me into a hug. I remember how tight her frail, lanky arms held me as I breathe in her scent through heavy tears.

I never got the chance to memorize her face, her perfume, or her touch, the social workers yanked me away before I had the opportunity and carried me towards the van as I kicked and screamed; barely registering the faint 'Be strong' my grandma yelled to me as I was being driven away from everything I knew and loved.

About two weeks later my social worker, Ms. Kay, took me to the senior home without any explanation. So, I assumed they changed their minds and was allowing grandma and I to go home, but damn how I was wrong; she quickly escorted me to a small room with little light, but I could visibly see my grandmother lying in bed as her favorite story flickered across the television screen. I squealed in happiness as I ran to her, hopping onto her bed and hugging her tightly but was only greeted with icy flesh and a peaceful expression adorning her sleeping face. I shook her, telling her to wake up so we could go home. Ms. Kay pulled me away and got on eye level with me.

'_Lucy, dear. your grandmother passed away just like your parents did. She's in heaven with them right now, looking after you. Three angels who love you, aren't you lucky?" she said with a sad smile. _

But what child would consider themselves lucky after losing their entire family?

"_The reason I brought you here is because you will not be able to go to your grandma's funeral like with your parents. You're being adopted before the arrangement could be done, but the couple who is adopting you are nice and very wealthy; they're the Fabrays, you're a very special girl because they only wanted you._

I didn't respond, I didn't speak, and I just allowed her to lead the way back the children's home. The emotional connection to this experience is like a fresh gaping wound in my heart and soul, always burning with intensity and constricting as my memories of everyone become more disfigured as their features change by the passing year; at this point the image of my parents and grandmother could resemble any of yours as they're just bodies with vague or nonexistent faces.

Anyways, the next day I was informed that I would be leaving in a week when the Fabrays showed up. So I made a plan for that night, that during the 4th of July fireworks display being held downtown that I would run; and that's exactly what I did. I ran and never looked back, finding myself across town near the beach. I wandered for an hour before finding a secluded path. I followed it, not caring where it could lead just as long I was away from human contact; just as I was about to turn back thinking the trial would never end, I spotted a beach house with a private pier. I settled underneath the wooden structure as my knees pressed heavily into my chest. The cool sand wedged itself between my toes as I lazily drew into the grainy earth. I was too busy with my eyes cast upward, wondering which set of stars were my family to even notice a bouncing bounding brunette heading my way. It wasn't until I felt someone staring at me, did I immediately notice her. She just stood there gazing, taking in every feature of my being until I noticed that she was grinning at me. Her hair was dark brown and wavy, reaching a couple of inches past her shoulders, and her eyes were a perfect matching color of her auburn hair. I abruptly broke eye contact with her, pretending not to notice her still looking at me.

The silence wasn't broken until she introduced herself.

'_Hey, I'm Rachel." She said as she formally stuck out her hand for me to shake. When I didn't grasp it, she frowned and kneeled before me. "Are you lost? Cause if you are, I can get one of my daddies to help find your family."_

_I looked up at her and faintly smiled. "Hi, I'm lucy and I don't have a family anymore."_

"_You mean like Annie and Madeline?" she asked softly as a flash of sadness flickered in her eyes._

"_Yeah…." I disappointedly mutter._

"_Well, It doesn't matter to me. I like you." She said. "It gives you a musical quality. You're like a star of your own life." She says with an unusual love for theatrics. "So are you hungry?" she asks and I only nod. She runs to her beach home, coming back with a mini cooler and placing it into my lap._

"_Thanks, but why are you being so nice? All the other kids tease me."_ _I finished that question off with a sadden smile, and she returned it as I rummaged through the little chest._ It felt good, because it seemed as though she cared.

"_Well because I wanna make you happy and I think you're really pretty. And pretty girls shouldn't cry." She finishes as I knit my eyebrows and looked at her, puzzled._

"_Do you need glasses? I'm not pretty, just plain and ugly." I utter quietly as I eat my sandwich. She sighed loudly before standing up and huffing, going into a temper tantrum about mean people how they ruin the world and should be kicked in the shins._

I laughed at that, and despite of the way I was humoring myself, by laughing at her. She took it in stride and treated me like an equal; she didn't see an orphan, or a runaway, just another kid and a friend to have.

Once she was done fuming, she quickly changed gears and shouted out a new name for me.

"_Hey, luce! Wanna go exploring before it gets too dark and my daddies worry?" she asks with a huge smile, this time revealing an amusing gapped grin. "Oh and don't tell anyone, but I'm still scared of the dark." She says in a hushed tone as if invisible people were spying. She got up and reached out her hand to help me up. I looked up at her, and as I grabbed her hand I felt something run through me. For some reason I didn't want to let go as I smiled at the nickname she had just given me._

We played for most of that night, Rachel had convinced her dads that she wanted to have a camp out with her new friend, of course them being parents of a young girl thought I was imaginary. I don't know how, but she convinced me that I should go back to the children's home and that things would get better. I saw the hope and faith in her eyes, so I believed her and went back the next morning.

That was the beginning of what was going to be (and still is) the most fantastic week of my life. We became the best of friends, spending almost every waking moment of the night together (I would always sneak out around midnight when the last head counts were performed), just playing and laughing; having one of the best adventures I ever had in my life on Berrymore Pier (a compound of both our last names, but I guess now it should be known as Faberry Pier), and there wasn't a thing in the world that I didn't feel like I could share with her as we would lay on that pier, both of us quickly taking up the scent of peaches, honeysuckle, and sea salt as the unique aroma perfumed our skin and hair. It felt so good being with her. I loved her so much, and as the end of our seven days approached, I started to feel like something was dying inside of me and I couldn't explain it, but it felt like losing another family member except worse. So when end of the week came, we tearfully parted; she had convinced her dads to allow her too see me off. They didn't even believe I existed until she uttered my name and demanded how we saw each other. So when the gapped tooth brunette arrived, we instantly clung to one another as my adoptive parents watched over us with distain in their eyes; as if I should be clinging for dear life to them, because they were my mercy. So I held tighter to Rachel as if one of us would die if we let go. To me, that was close to the truth, because I knew she would be the only to truly love me as Lucy Quinn Moore.


	3. Family Ties and Unexpected Surprises

**Thanks to everyone who alerted and faved; and especially to those who commented. It means a lot to know that someone appreciates this fic. So this chapter is to all of you. Have a great day =D.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my errors.**

**Chapter 2**

**That Summer:**

**Family Ties and **

**Unexpected Surprises**

I was awakened from my reminiscing stupor as my overstressed mother yelled at a perplexed airport employee. We had just landed in Atlanta and from what I could tell, somewhere between California and Georgia, her custom made Prada luggage bags went missing (something she claims to be very essential for her new life in Georgia, but I just think its her way of saying 'look you southern hicks, this is what real class and money looks like'), and she was losing her mind.

I sigh and walk away, wishing for the first time she would just drown herself in alcohol and become the unfeeling being I've grown to know.

In the car on our way to our new home, I was silent, managing to get lost in thought once more as strong tingle spread inside my stomach and chest; I felt slightly dizzy as if my body was lacking the oxygen it yearned for.

_Ha, all of this just from a girl that I may never see again._

I suddenly felt my mom turn around in her seat, leering at me with an expression that was a mixture of constipation and feigned worry. I guess she was trying out her new role as a caring southern mom; what not a better way to establish herself in the neighborhood as a represenator of true motherhood.

Feeling the need to acknowledge her, I go into perfect daughter mode. I look up at her, giving her a fake, joy fairing smile before speaking. "What mom?" I ask.

"What's on your mind, honey? Are you upset about leaving Palm Lake and California, because your father and I really thought this was what you wanted?"

'No, this is what I wanted. I was just thinking how good it felt to be somewhere that I belong." I say with a small smile, being honest with her for the first time.

"Oh honey, don't be silly. You're a Fabray and we belong anywhere that we may choose. It's a right that comes along with a status of our nature." She says with a haughty laugh. She really didn't know anything and it stung, even with our lie of a mother-daughter relationship, you would think she would be able to sense what this meant to me and finally come to an understanding of who I am; but she didn't, a further notion that I'm not their child just an interactive center piece of their lives. So I stayed silent for the rest of the ride, fading into memories once more.

When the car came to a halt, I was snapped out of my dream like trance as my heart swelled with excitement and joy, but to only have it deflate when I took in my surroundings.

"Umm, why are we at a country club and what town is this?" I ask with intrigue and unknowingness.

"_Had Honeysuckle changed this much?" _

"Oh sweetie, our home isn't ready just yet. So your father and Uncle Jonathan decided to have a small family vacation in Savannah. That way, you and your new cousin can bond before school starts." She says as my father bark orders to bellhop and valet.

"Mom, Uncle Jonathan has been remarried for four years. So that doesn't make him my new cousin, just annoying." I say sighing as I find my way to my private suite.

Later at dinner, I found myself staring at my dinner plate as my family seated themselves patriotically: My dad and uncle, each taking place at either end of the table as my aunt and mom were seated to the right of them; while us children were sitting beside our respectful mothers. The adults divulged themselves in mindless chatter, talking everything and nothing but I couldn't really find myself to listen.

When I looked up, I caught sight of a cocky smile that belonged to my cousin and I couldn't help myself from commenting.

"Puck…nice Mohawk, I didn't think country clubs permitted hooligans." I say in a teasing manner.

He just smirked and leaned back in his seat, placing his hand over his heart before he spoke. "Cuz, that hurt. Whenever are gonna get along?" he asks mockingly.

"When hell freezes over." I say in a coolly yet jesting tone. His eyes widen in surprise as the adults gasped in shock. I think it was the first time they heard me use any profanity, even a biblical reference. Suddenly Puck burst into a fit of laughter as well as his little sister; for some reason it allowed me to smile, truly smile.

When the laughter died down and parents having their mini convos, dinner progressed and I caught myself spacing for millionth time that day.

When I felt a hard bang on the table, I was startled back into reality where everyone's curious gaze settled onto me.

"Quinn, your Aunt Joanne asked you a question." My father stated sternly. I knew it meant that I better answer the question and stop embarrassing him that instant, and so I did.

I straightened my shoulders and smiled a politely at my aunt. "Sorry, what did you say Aunt Jo?"

"Sweetheart, I asked…" I saw her lips moving and her hand moving animatedly, but I lacked the ability to hear her words; as if she was a real life silent movie.

For the grace of God, Puck picked up on my inability to speak and jumped in for me.

"Mom, I'm sure Quinn would love to answer all of your questions but I'm sure the flight must took a lot out of her; not to mention we're at a stuffy restaurant, not particularly the ideal place for teens and adolescence to relax." He said using a charming smile as I gazed impressed. Uncle Jonathan must have forced that boy to SAT prep classes, because his vocabulary sky rocketed from those of a toddler's to an eight year old's. "So how about all of you take this time to talk and have fun children free, while the three of us go put-put golfing or to the theater, I heard Lion King 3D is still playing."

When Puck was finished, the three of us looked at our fathers eagerly, silently hoping they would give in. They glanced at each other and nodded; they must have understood what Puck meant, or at least somewhat, because the two of them broke in grins and shooed us away.

It didn't take much for either of us to leap up from our chairs, and hurriedly run (meaning speed walk) to the elevators to our respectable rooms to change. Once on our floor, I pulled puck into a tight hug and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. 'You're the best!' I told him before turning to make my way to my suite.

Once dressed, I made my way down the hall and knocked on Puck's and Emily's suite. Emily answered the door with a sweet smile and pulled me in, "Great you're here. I need help on finding the perfect outfit and with Puck being a boy, a football player, and just being himself, he's pretty useless."

"Hey, I heard that." Puck yells from his room in very loud huff.

I couldn't help but laugh at the loving banter between the two of them. Before I conjured up another memory or thoughts of having any siblings, I was greeted by an avalanche of clothing that tumbled down when Emily opened her room door.

It took an hour to dig through the clothes and another 45 for Emily to get ready. So I went to Puck's room to hangout. I didn't bother to knock, I just entered. "So are you ready yet?" I ask in a tired tone as I witness him just putting his shirt on and getting a full glance of his muscular body, completely unfazed. It's a thing that I've come to accept, that boys really don't do it for me.

"Yup, so where's Emily?" He asks while going through a few other bags for his wallet.

"Changing into her clothes, right now." I reply as I walk around his room, gazing at a few pictures he has scattered here or there. I pause when he implores me a question.

"So anyways, are you gonna use this opportunity to raise hell like any other teen and maybe have some fun, or just continue to be so fucking vacant and perfect?" He asks in all seriousness.

"And what's wrong with that?" I ask as my temper gets the best of me. If there is only one thing I have learned from the Frabrays, is how to get defensive.

"Everything! We're young and virtually responsible free, so why not take advantage of it while we can. For the first time, try making friends or better yet dating. Its something what people our age do."

Instead of continuing the argument I grab a random picture frame and hold it close to my chest as I take a seat on Puck's bed. "Why do you care so much?"

"Because we're family, and I'm tired of being this robot for your mom and dad. You need to start living." He says while draping an arm over my shoulder.

When I'm about to answer him, I pull the picture away from my chest and oddly gaze it. For some reason my heart was seeking something special out in this photo. "So who are they?" I show him the picture frame that's tightly clasped in my hand.

"Oh that's the glee club I'm in and before you laugh. Its actually cool and it scores the hotness factor on my side when I wanna get some panties."

"One, eww; you are a disgusting pig and two, are they your friends?"

"In a way, yeah; kinda almost like family. A lot of us tend to hangout. You will meet everyone this summer, well except for berry. She always disappears to musical boot camp or family bonding vacations. So that intense introduction will have to wait til next month, when school starts." He states getting up as Emily shouts that she'll be ready in five minutes as curiosity flourishes my body.

"What do you mean intense?" I ask.

"She's just a little overbearing, and that's when you've gotten to known her for a while. For new people like you, she'll be very off putting; maybe even to the point you would want to kill her." He mutters "But she's my fellow Jew babe and I love her, so I can't allow you to kill. Although you two might actually get along."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because she's just as uptight as you." He says smirking as he dodged the pillow I aimed at his head.

"Go to hell puck." I fire back.

"Nah, my hotness would raise the temp and people there are already suffering." He says while flexing.

Emily runs into the room, spinning around. "So how do I look?" she asks excitedly

"Beautiful." I mutter to her. She grins when Puck nods in agreement and lifts her as we walk out of the door.

"Hey Puck, what's her first name?" I ask. He only gives me a confused expression in response. "The intense one, what's her name?" I ask once more, except slowly.

When realization dawns on him, he responses by giving me a big, dopey grin. "Oh, my bad, Quinn. It's Rachel, Rachel Berry." He says as he calls for the elevator to return to our floor.

**Its not that great, so tell me how I did. have a great day guys.**

**Also, if you see any errors, please point them out so I can correct them immediately.**


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